Few Gum Disease Signs That You Shouldn’t Ignore

Gum disease is the main reason for tooth loss amongst adults, and it can strike at any age so it’s important to be vigilant and to look out for any early gum disease signs. One main symptom is bleeding gums.

Bleeding Gums are Not Normal

A lot of people will find their gums bleed slightly when they brush their teeth and it can be tempting to put this down to brushing too hard or to even think a bit of blood is normal. In fact bleeding gums are never a sign of good health and you’d have to brush your teeth really hard to make healthy gums bleed. The reason most people’s gums bleed is due to damage caused by bacterial infection, or gum disease.

This is where bacteria have built up in the mouth, creating a biofilm over the tooth and gum surfaces. If your oral hygiene is good, then this biofilm is regularly removed when you brush and floss, but if your oral hygiene isn’t the best it could be, then bacteria will continue to build up, creating acid and other toxins that infect and attack your gums. Your body will try to fight back which is why gums become inflamed and begin to bleed.

Other Gum Disease Signs

Gums that bleed easily during brushing are often the first sign that something is wrong. If you ignore these symptoms then you may begin to notice additional signs as the disease progresses and develops into advanced periodontal disease. By this stage you will probably have persistent bad breath and perhaps a bad taste in your mouth. You could notice your gums begin to look swollen or red, or that they have begun to recede where the gums have become thinner and have begun to pull away from your teeth. If there is significant recession you might find it’s painful to eat hot and cold foods as the tooth roots are exposed.

Equally, you might notice few, if any symptoms and this is why gum disease is often called a silent disease. This could well happen if you are a smoker as the habit tends to mask the early gum disease signs, and gums are less likely to bleed as nicotine constricts the blood vessels.

Advanced periodontal disease can progress over a long period of time but ultimately will cause your teeth to loosen as the bone around them is gradually destroyed, unless of course you seek proper treatment.

 

Tasking Action to Protect Your Gum Health

Your regular dentist should be able to pick up the early gum disease signs during six monthly checkups, but if you have had advanced gum disease signs in the past, or have a family history of periodontal disease, it might be worth booking regular checks with a periodontist like Dr. Navid Rahmani of Manhattan Periodontics & Implant Surgery. You don’t need a referral from your regular dentist, and a periodontist is by far the best person to see about gum disease signs as they have completed specialized training to treat this condition.

Your teeth and gums are worth protecting, so take action if you think you are at risk of gum disease. By doing so you’ll be protecting your dental health and your general health as gum disease has been linked to numerous general health problems.

 

In: Gum Disease | Periodontal Disease

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